Microsoft announced Wednesday that it is helping a new cyberforensics organization get off the ground with the contribution of a full-time analyst and $46,000 worth of software.

The organization is called the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance (NCFTA). It was established about 18 months ago in Pittsburgh, Pa. by the FBI, the National White Collar Crime Center, Carnegie Mellon University and West Virginia University.

NCFTA's mission is to help coordinate academia, industry, government and law enforcement efforts in testing and investigating cybercrime tactics, fighting online threats and preparing businesses and organizations to defend their networks against such threats.

Microsoft's assigned analyst will have four main duties at NCFTA: analyzing real-time data on phishing scams, assisting on data analysis for CAN-SPAM cases, getting industry case data to law enforcement and training law enforcement and industry on cybercrime investigative techniques.